This invention relates to a method of producing vegetable sprouts from seed, either for direct consumption or for dehydration and encapsulation as a dietary supplement.
The beneficial attributes of vegetable sprouts as a dietary supplement are widely recognized, and several varieties of sprouts (bean, alfalfa, radish, broccoli, etc.) are commercially grown and marketed as a produce item in retail food outlets. Alternatively, the sprouts may be dehydrated, ground and encapsulated for consumption as a supplemental source of vitamins. Other health-related benefits, even including disease prevention, have also been claimed.
Methods utilized to sprout the vegetable seeds vary to some degree, but the recommended steps typically include: soaking the seeds in water for 12 hours or so, draining the seeds and placing them in a permeable but covered container, and periodically rinsing the seeds until ready for harvesting. Typically, the sprouts are harvested 3-5 days after being placed in the covered container. The ambient temperature can be controlled to encourage rapid growth, and lighting (either artificial or natural) may be used to encourage chlorophyll development. By way of example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,092 and 4,941,282, and Meyerowitz""s book, xe2x80x9cThe Complete Guide to Sproutingxe2x80x9d, published in 1998.
The present invention is directed to an improved and accelerated method of producing vegetable sprouts with surprisingly high levels of vitamin nutrients. In general, retention of high vitamin levels is improved by accelerating the growing cycle, and the growing cycle is accelerated by initially saturating the seed bed with high pressure water jet stream in the range of 80-90 pounds per square inch. Thereafter, the seeds are covered with a greenhouse dome, and placed under a light source. After an initial period, such as 12 hours, the seeds are periodically misted with water to complete the growth cycle. In experimental trials with broccoli, the sprouts were harvested after only 36 hours, and chemical analysis showed that the sprouts possessed surprisingly high levels of vitamin B-1, also known as thiamine.